To Love a Cyborg
by Memoryloss
Summary: Sasori lives alone, and has never wished for anything more than having a partner. One day, he rescues a faulty cyborg from being reduced to scrap metal, and buys it without thinking of the consequences that would follow. What will happen? SasoXDei
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Sasori lives alone, and has never wished for anything more than having a partner. One day, he rescues a faulty cyborg from being reduced to scrap metal, and buys it without thinking of the consequences that would follow. What will happen?

**To Love a Cyborg**

Sasori Akasuna, 19 years old, a college freshman and die-hard** FiERY! **fan - that's me. I love to eat spicy rice-cake and fried glass noodles, but screw that for now. I'm currently at the rich boy Uchiha Itachi's house, playing blackjack. And I'm losing terribly, seriously, horribly. Damn that Uchiha, he insisted on sitting just opposite the mini water fountain with goldfish, so that luck would "face" him. And indeed, luck is getting to him right now. Screw those rich people and their idiotic fengshui knowledge.

"Open your cards, people," barked Hidan as he put on this I'm-gonna-win-you-all-for-sure face. He scowled as he saw Kakuzu's fine set of cards, knowing that his money was gonna be sucked up again. Cursing, he kicked the older man's leg and went on to have a look at Konan's cards. It was another beautiful set.

"Ah, you fuckers did me in again!" he muttered as he tossed a few coins her.

"Get lost, you asshole; I ain't no fucker," replied Konan indignantly. She looked at my set of cards and sighed.

"You're gonna be bankrupt soon, at this rate you're going," she said as I bit my lip.

"I'm _already _bankrupt, thanks to that Uchiha over there, with his _stupid fengshui_." I threw my cards down and stupid Hidan, like an eagle, swooped down eagerly and grabbed my coins. Fucker.

"Your luck doesn't seem very good tonight, my friend," retorted Kakuzu as he took a mouthful of coke, and choked.

"Whatever! I'm not gonna play anymore, anyway. I've got a book review to turn in," I said irritatedly, putting my wallet back into my bag.

"Going so soon, Sasori?" The stupid Uchiha made my nerves explode. He had the cheek to say that, that bastard! I gritted my teeth and nodded, fishing my pocket for my house keys. Good, they were still there.

"Want me to send you home? I've just polished my sports car this morning you know."

My eye twitches. "No thanks, Itachi. I'll make my way home myself, thank you very much." With that, I grab my bag and storm out the large door. Man, how bushed I am. Having to deal with that sissy Hidan's cursing and kicking, and idiotic whining? How _lucky _can you get, huh? **HUH?**

Ugh. Must be the beer than I downed just now. Itachi said that it was specially imported from England, and forced us all to drink one whole glass of it each. It's a good thing I'm still sober, or I wouldn't be able to walk home.

Wait, am I sober or not? OK whatever.

It's already midnight, and the city clock is chiming. I make my way past the crowd of people (who have just celebrated their happy hour) and colourful neon lightings, and dive straight into a familiar alley which will take me to my apartment really quick. Though it's a little risky and dangerous, but I really want to get home fast. Then, when I get home, I'll fix myself a cup of tea and then go to bed straight. After all, tomorrow's Saturday. Good.

Just as I pass by the fifth trashcan of the alley, I hear a voice come from the one of the shop backhouses of the alley - it seems to be a middle-aged man's voice. Being curious, I edge closer towards the half-open door and make my way into the dimly-lit room. Soon, two figures come into sight.

"I'm sorry my dear, but you will have to go. Your circuit isn't functioning well, and you can't talk. I don't know what's the problem with you. Tomorrow, the scrap-material boss will come over to take you. I will have to shut off your power-system for eternity..." A man wearing a navy-blue cap said solemnly as he wrote something on a post-it and stuck it to the wall. Beside him, there was girl pulling and tugging on his hand, as if she was begging him to do something. But the man merely shook his head.

"No, Deidara, I'm really sorry. I'm not earning enough money to make ends meet, and no one will ever buy you in this state. I can't fix you either, so you will have to be scrapped."

I watched as the girl's blue eyes fill with horror and despair. But I didn't understand anything at all. Scrapped? How could he possibly scrap a human? This was too much!

I stepped forward and looked at the man, who was surprised to see me. Ha, this will teach you to lock your doors properly, you old geezer! The girl turned to look at me with her already tear-filled eyes.

"You can't possibly scrap a human, you idiot!" I yell as a point an indignant finger at the man, who seemed confused for a bit. But after a minute or so, he got what I was trying to tell him, and laughed a little.

"Young man, you think that Deidara is a human?" he asked me. I nod quickly, and it cost me half my pride, I think.

"No, no, Deidara's not a human. This fellow here is a cyborg," he said, smiling, pointing at the tear-eyed girl, who looked at me curiously.

My eyes widen considerably. This thing is a cyborg?!

The man laughs at my expression. "I can see that you are a noob when it comes to mechanics and technology, my friend," he said gently, "don't worry, I'll fill you in. Deidara here is a cyborg, and is part of the _All-in _series. Which means the cyborg can do many many things, such as cleaning, cooking, doing your homework, defending you, helping you fix things...and stuff like that."

I blink. I think Itachi has these things. He showed me two of his cyborgs last Friday, and man, they were super cool. But his was something like the _Computer-_series, and in fact, they could programme the house lighting system perfectly well. Talk about wow.

"So, since this cyborg is so great, why don't you keep it?" I ask.

The man's smile fades a little. He sighs and folds his arms. "You see, this fellow's practically useless and destroyed. The inner-system is wonky, and the circuit is completely done-for. I don't know what happened, so I can't fix it. But the thing is, Deidara's still alive and well, though the body is practically ruined...I would very much like to keep this fellow, but I need money to keep this shop going, and this fellow will never be sold, ever, with his current condition."

I find myself thinking fast. "You could keep him as a shop assistant."

The man shook his head. "Deidara can't talk. Also, my shop doesn't have many customers, and I can manage by myself already. What I really need, though, is money. That's why I've got to sell him." With that, the cyborg beside him starts to cry, though the sobs can't be heard. My heart nearly breaks at the sight. Well, I'm a sucker for sympathy. That cost me dearly, though.

Unable to take it anymore, I cry out, "I'll take this fellow, just don't scrap her!" The truth was, I couldn't bear to see a cyborg, alive and happy-looking, being sentenced to eternal sleep, because she was faulty and couldn't be sold. If she was still alive, she had to be saved. Definitely.

The man looks at me, even more surprised than before. "You don't look like a rich kid, and Deidara's original price is a bomb. I don't think you'd be able to afford him, but I do need some money, and I do think you'll be the only one willing to buy him - "

"Cut the crap, how much do you want? I'll see if I can afford it."

"...two thousand five hundred dollars."

At that point, I nearly scream out with horror. Daylight robbery! Two thousand five hundred for a freaking cyborg! It was going to be a tough decision, between my principles and my desire to buy that game console I had always wanted. I only had three hundred dollars, just enough to buy that video game console...

But I choke when I hear what this fellow's initial price was - twenty-thousand five hundred and ninety-nine dollars. A computer never cost this much!

"You see, with all his programming ruined, he's only worth this much now. I've really made a huge loss this time - his previous owner, the son of a rich family, apparently managed to kick him down the stairs, and after that, the mechanism got ruined," said the man.

I gagged. Sickening rich boys, ill-treating their little playtoys and stuffed animals! Not knowing the reality and hardship of life - when I was young, I got my first teddy-bear from a second-hand shop. Damn those assholes. Their teddy-bears must have been made of gold bars.

"But the scrap metal boss won't pay you that much either, mister," I said, taking out my wallet, "I'll give you everything I have here! Three hundred dollars."

"...that is two hundred dollars more than what the scrap-metal boss promised me..."

"Please, mister, _don't let your flame of humanity within your heart die," _I pleaded, using the phrase I had learnt from literature class. Good thing we learnt_ "Little Apple Pie" _for english literature.

The man seemed to be taken aback by what I said. Good. Hopefully he would change his mind.

"...but - "

"Mister!"

"...fine, fine. I'll accept this offer. But on two conditions - do not ask me for a refund for Deidara, and treat him well, okay?" the man finally relented. I sighed in relief and nodded.

"And, Deidara may go bonkers anytime, are you sure you can handle him?"

I nod fast. I'm just too desperate to save this cyborg from being smothered and scrapped by the scrapping machine. "Yes, yes." I hand the money over to the man, who bows.

"Thank you very much. Now, I will tell you a few things about the cyborg, as seeing how noobish you are in this - "

"Don't call me a noob," I say irritatedly, my lip twitching.

"Ah, sorry."

It turned out that Deidara the cyborg did not need recharging, as the cyborgs of that series were special in some way. Also, cyborgs didn't need to eat, though they could. After giving me the instructions manual on how to take care of Deidara, the man bid me goodbye and said something which shocked my body and soul.

"Sasori-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"Just thought that I would let you know that Deidara is a _guy, _not a girl. You've been addressing Deidara as a "her" from just now till the present, so...yeah."

Shoot. I've never been so embarrassed in my life.

Mother and father in heaven, do you think I have made the right decision in buying this cyborg?


	2. Chapter 2

And so, here is where the story actually begins.

_Oops, I forgot to add. This story is an AU story _

**Chapter 1 ****:**

**26th November, Saturday, Year of the Pearl**

Hello, I'm Sasori Akasuna. I'm 19 years old, a college freshman and a die-hard** FiERY! **fan - you probably know all that already. Right. I live in a small rented apartment next to the community library. It's pretty small, that little space I live in, but it's pretty snug and cosy.

The world of Cosmos is a strange one. Technology has been steadily improving for the past decades, so much that many people rely on it completely. Though I live in this world, I do not know much about technology, since I prefer studying the traditional way. You know, mugging and burning the midnight oil over thick encyclopedias and stuff like that. Before I knew it, technology got ahead of me and I realized that I was a total loser when it came to technology. Whatever it is; when I graduate, I want to work as a freelance writer or an artist. Those things require simple traditional tools, and not complex things like machines or systems.

In Cosmos, there are four big countries - Silver, Nitride, Hydrogen and Sulfide. Yes, its sounds a lot like chemistry, but that's because the founder of Cosmos was a Chemist from the planet Earth. For me, I live in the country of Hydrogen, in the city of Natsumi.

I always wonder why I was born in such a city. Natsumi is the most technology-advanced city in the whole country, and it's citizens are really cyber geeks. In nursery classes, children are taught how to use high-tech computers, and must know how to spell "plasma television". In elementary school, there is a special course for all students, called the Technology lesson. Everyone must learn how to use the computer, cellphone, and other technology tidbits. I always found using technology difficult as resisting apple pie, and always scraped through my technology examinations. But as for the rest of the subjects, I aced them. Ha.

I should have been born on the planet Earth. I heard that they still use books to study for their exams. In Natsumi, almost everyone uses computers to study.

Anyway, my head hurts terribly now. I'm lying on my bed, feeling groggy and tired. Ugh, this must be the effects of drinking too much beer. Itachi forced some down my throat last night. I open my eyes slowly, only to find someone hugging my favourite huggable plushie.

No, no, NO. Not _my_ Hiruko.

"What the FUCK!" I yell, springing up from my bed and trying to yank Hiruko away. But I trip over my left foot, and fall down onto the wooden floor with a splat. As I wince a little from the pain, I notice a pale hand reach out to me. Looking up, I find an unfamiliar face staring right at me. Bright, blue eyes like marbles. Soft, golden strands of hair. With such delicate features, its hard to believe that this person, no,_ cyborg _is a boy.

Oh yeah, come to think of it, I brought home a cyborg yesterday night. His name is Deidara, and he was returned back to the shopkeeper because he wasn't functioning properly. His whole system had broken down for no proper reason, and all his functions couldn't work. And he couldn't speak. The strange thing was, he could still move. I bought him for three hundred dollars so as to save him from being scrapped.

Oh gosh, I just might be regretting my decision to buy this fellow.

"Give - me - Hiruko -" I state breathlessly, stretching out my hand as I pick myself up slowly. That guy doesn't listen to me; instead, he hugs Hiruko even tighter than before. I find my anger rising.

"Now, just give me back that plushie, and I'll give you my pillow. Sounds fair?"

Deidara looks at me for a moment, then runs away from me. Damn that guy! I chase him around the house and around the dining table. Just as I successfully yank Hiruko away from him, the doorbell rings and Deidara begins to cry. Flustered, I decide to open the door first. Pacifying the brat will have to come later.

The visitor turns out to be Itachi Uchiha. He looks at me blankly with those red eyes of his. "You were supposed to come to my house to celebrate the birth of my twenty-fourth goldfish," he tells me, "everyone's at my house already, except you. Didn't you read my message?"

"I didn't receive it." What, rich guys celebrate the birth of their new-born goldfish?

"Huh? Wait, does your phone support MMS?"

"...No?"

Itachi nods his head. "No wonder. I sent you a multimedia message. I expect you are still using those phony old phones with no colour and no polyphonic ringtones?"

My face reddens a little. "Y-yeah, so what?" I protest, "it's still a phone and I can still use it - "

But Itachi isn't listening anymore. His attention has been caught by something else. Or rather, _someone _else. He points at Deidara, who is still crying in the living room.

"Your friend?"

"...you could say so."

"She's crying."

"It's _'he'_."

Itachi looks surprised. "Oh, really? Then you are just going to leave _him_ like that?"

I scowl, and then return to the living room. Sheesh, this cyborg really acts like a kid. And I hate kids, seriously.

"Oi, stop crying in my living room! This house does not tolerate crying," I tell Deidara sternly, but that doesn't work. Oh, grandma Chiyo, where are you when I need you?

"What's the matter? You made him cry?" Itachi asks, stepping into the apartment.

"...I was just - "

"_You_ made him cry."

"..._whatever. _He was cuddling Hiruko and he took it without my permission!"

The Uchiha sighs. He knows how precious Hiruko is to me, of course. Hiruko is my number one favourite thing in the whole house. He was given to me by my parents on my fifth birthday, two weeks before they died. My parents had gone fishing in a small rented boat, but the waves were too strong and apparently, their boat overturned. And they drowned just like that. Hiruko reminds me of my parents, the two people whom I love the most.

"But you could have taken it nicely from him," says Itachi.

"He wouldn't return it to me." Fine. Here you go; another episode of "Itachi saves the day."

The Uchiha walks up to Deidara and hands him a tissue to wipe his tears. Then, he takes Hiruko from me and hands the plushie to Deidara. What the hell.

"I spent so much effort trying to get Hiruko from that brat and yet you gave it to him?!" I cry out loud. Itachi ignores me and watches Deidara hug the plushie tight. Sheesh, his tears are soaking up my plushie!

"Let your friend have it," Itachi tells me, "he only wants to hug it. He won't tear it up."

"But - "

"I'm giving you five minutes to wash up and get dressed; we're going to my house."

"Oi!"

**"Now."**

"..." You know, Uchihas are really scary when they get angry. You shouldn't offend one.

As I brush my teeth sulkily, I notice that Itachi is looking quite surprised. I wonder what happened. Was he surprised that Deidara was actually a boy? No, Itachi wasn't that kind of person. I wash my face and wipe it with a dry towel, then I put on fresh clothes and walk briskly out of the bathroom. Itachi immediately shoots me with a startling question.

"Your friend is a cyborg, isn't he?"

BAM. It hit me like a rock to the face. For a moment I was at a loss for words. "How - how did you know - "

"Your friend needs repairing," replied Itachi, "there's a deep metal gash on the side of his neck, and his hand has some dents. Now get into the car and take your friend with you. I have many questions to ask you. Also, I'm going to get Sasuke to repair your friend."

"It's Deidara," I say quietly, "and you don't need to get your lil' brother to repair him."

"No, I insist." He turns around and walks out the door. I sigh, grab my bag and take the housekeys from the counter.

"Come with me," I tell the childish cyborg, who is still hugging Hiruko tightly. He nods silently and follows me out the door. As quick as a flash, I grab Hiruko from him and puts the plushie into my bag. Tears start well up in those eyes, but it doesn't affect me much. Though my heart does feel a little guilty.

"Ok, stop crying please!" I tell him exasperatedly, "why don't you make a doll of your own. Then you could hug it all night and day. If you don't know how to sew, I'll teach you how to sew. I have some old clothes at the back of the cupboard for you to use." Okay, that's a lie.

But Deidara finds it a very good idea. And he actually _believes_ me. So much that his eyes sparkle with happiness. I sigh, and walk away quickly. Man, kids are so easy to pacify. Find an excuse and you're done.

* * *

Ten minutes later, I find myself outcasted.

Everyone is looking at Deidara. Stupid Uchiha told them everything. About how I got Deidara, and whatever.

Hidan is the first to comment. "Gee, I never thought that this day would actually come, Sasori," he says, "for you to own a cyborg of your own. And you got this guy for three hundred dollars only! This model of cyborg costs a bomb, you know."

I roll my eyes. "Shut up and mind your own business."

"Oh, I will, as soon as I get enough funds to start running one."

_"Shut UP." _

Konan is staring with awe at Deidara's hair. "It's so_ pretty!" _she tells him, "do you use any special shampoo?"

Deidara shakes his head. He seems happy with Konan's comment. Sighing, I plop onto the couch and wait for Itachi's little brother to arrive. Man, where did all the goldfish celebrations or whatnots go to? They were all clearly forgotten.

Moments later, Sasuke arrives. He looks very much like Itachi, just that he's younger and has short, spiky hair. He's a very clever guy; apparently, he knows how to fix and modify cyborgs. He walks straight up to me as I stand up slowly.

"Itachi's told me everything," he told me solemnly, "could you please come to my workroom with your cyborg? I will help you fix it. Also, I want to analyse it."

"...alright." I follow Sasuke down the hallway to a small room beside the Storage room. Deidara, as usual, follows behind me. Itachi follows me too, and leaves the other guests to play Go-Fish.

Once in the workroom, Sasuke begins to examine Deidara. After scanning the cyborg's body, a diagram appears on a large plasma screen next to me. I look at it, feeling a bit startled. It seems that his hands actually hold -

"His left arm contain steel bullets and two sharp lightweight knives. The right arm contains a speed calculator and music player, and the fingers contain pencil lead and coloured ink refills. The two legs contain rocket power and some kind of wings, so this means he can fly. But, Sasori-san, you mentioned that he might go bonkers anythime; it's really dangerous to keep him with you."

I gulp nervously. I had no idea that this cyborg was so dangerous. It was a good thing that he didn't go mad yesterday night, or I might have died.

Sasuke notices my worried expression. "Don't worry, Sasori-san. I will help you fix this problem. I will remove all the weapons and replace them with _safer_ things. Trust me," he reassures me as he reaches for his spectacles.

"Um, yeah, alright," I mumble softly. Man, what did he mean by "safer things?" Plushies? Toothpaste? Muffins?

"And this cyborg is supposed to be model part of the _'All-in' _series, right?" continues the younger Uchiha, "but his functions are all down. And this guy isn't supposed to be able to live. But still, he's alive and working, though he can't talk...it's really strange. I'm not sure why this is happening, but there is one possible reason."

"There are six kinds of cyborgs currently available in Cosmos; the 'Work' series, the 'Love' series, the 'Fighter' series, the 'Home' series, the 'Computer' series and the 'All-in' series. Deidara belongs to the 'All-in' series, as you know. This kind of cyborg and the 'Love' series has one thing which is different from the rest of the series, and they both have two virtual systems called the 'heart' system. This enables them to have emotions, to develop them, to feel them and so on. But a cyborg is not entirely human. There are some flaws here and there."

"Deidara has two 'heart' systems. One of them has been destroyed already, as you can see on the screen." He presses a few buttons on a small controller, and another diagram appears.

I gape at the screen. "But - but how can it get destroyed?"

"This system can only be destroyed when the cyborg is badly hurt, emotional-wise. When the cyborg cannot take anymore emotional hurt, it will destroy its virtual memory completely to get rid of it. Its memories will be erased and the virtual drive will be replaced with the second 'heart' system. It will be a new beginning for that cyborg."

"But what if that second heart thing gets destroyed again?" I ask curiously.

Sasuke looks up from his desk. He doesn't look very optimistic. "The cyborg will be gone forever. No hope of rescue. It will become a piece of useless metal that will turn into a small, lifeless plush-toy if nothing is done within 24 hours. That''s why you have to take care of your cyborg very carefully, or it will be gone for_ eternity_. Of course, you can buy another cyborg, but no two cyborgs look the same. It's the rule of the market retailers."

"...Then why is Deidara's first heart-system - destroyed?"

"Judging from his damages, I presume he was abused by his previous owner, or something," replied Sasuke, picking up a screwdriver.

I blink. Come to think of it, the shopkeeper mentioned that Deidara's previous owner had pushed him down the stairs. What an owner.

"Anyway, I'll fix him for you," said Sasuke, "so don't worry. Why don't you go eat something first? Or you could learn a few things about cyborgs from Itachi. I'll be ready in a few hours."

"Thanks, Sasuke," I say, glancing over at Deidara. He is currently playing with a small pocket dictionary. Oh yeah, come to think of it...

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

I twiddle my thumbs uncomfortably. "Um, why is Deidara acting so immature? I mean, he can't talk, he cries over soft toys, he follows me around like a lost child..."

Sasuke proceeds to write something on a piece of paper. "Deidara is currently using a new 'heart' system. So, his character has been reduced to a child's. Like the 'love' series, cyborgs of the 'All-in' series must be fed with something in order for them to grow up in terms of character and mind."

"What is it?"

_"Love."_ Itachi folds his arms and leans against the wall. "You have to shower Deidara with love, or he will never learn how to talk. You have to teach him things, or he will always be like a newborn child; innocent and naive. But if you scold him too often, and hurt him too much, he might just crash one day, and never return."

I am stunned. So Deidara is actually this delicate. Like a glass cup standing on a pedastal; so pretty, yet so fragile.

"Alright, enough talk. Ask my brother for some tips if you need them," Sasuke said, "Now, Karin, please see the guest out."

"Karin?" I say to myself. Well, Itachi didn't say he had a sister. So who was that? A servant?

A girl with long black hair comes from behind the curtain. She's wearing thick-framed glasses and an irritated look on her face. "No, I am not a servant," she tells me with a frown. I gulp. This woman can read people's minds!

Itachi opens the door for us. "Karin is a cyborg which Sasuke modified," he explained, "and so Karin can mind-read. She senses the electronic signals your brain sends, and decodes them. Though, she can't read your secrets, cos' they're like ZIP files that need passwords to unlock..."

I bite my lip. Cyborgs are complicated. I think I should just clear my mind of anything until this cyborg goes away, or she'll spout nonsense to the whole world.

A few hours, Sasori. Just bear with it for a few hours.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2 ****:**

**28th November, Monday, Year of the Pearl**

It's a rather breezy morning. The air is quite cold, and the all the trees in the vicinity are bare. Glancing out of my apartment window, I can see many people walking down the street, wearing warm clothes and carrying heat packs in their hands. Yes, winter is almost here.

Today is Princess Nanase's 23rd birthday. It is a public holiday, and many people are downtown, shopping for items. As for me, I'm currently at home, cramming for a Higher Physics test. Deidara is sitting beside the television, watching a kids television show. The television host is currently teaching him how to fold a paper crane.

_"First, take a piece of paper. Fold it into half, and then fold the sides, like this. Next, fold the flap out, and like this. See, fold the paper well, or you will not be able to achieve the end result..." _

The television host's voice is soft and comforting. I let out a sigh as I finally finish writing my stack of notes. Two whole chapters in 3 hours - I think I deserve a break. A nice, warm cup of instant cocoa and some biscuits would do me good. Yawning, I get off my bed and head to the kitchen.

As I walk across the small room, my eyes turn to look at Deidara. His eyes are glued to the television, and he is holding a piece of pocket tissue. He puts it on the floor slowly and carefully, then begins to fold it.

Those fingers, so sleek and delicate. Folding that soft piece of white tissue, as if it were a piece of paper. I watch this in silence. He looks quite adorable, attempting to fold a _paper_ crane out of _tissue paper._

Five minutes later, my heart goes out to him. After trying for so long, he still hasn't folded a proper crane. I walk over to my study table to fetch my extra notebook, then I tear out two pieces of fresh sheets.

I believe that the hardworking should be rewarded, somehow.

"Here, use this. You are supposed to use paper to fold that crane, not tissue paper..." I say as I sit down beside him. Placing the two pieces of paper on the floor, I shove one sheet in front of him and clear my throat.

"Alright, I am going to be kind now. I will teach you how to fold a crane, so watch carefully. Firstly, hold the paper with both hands." With that, I hold up my paper for Deidara to see. He copies my action. Good.

"Next, fold it into half. Crease it properly. No, not like that - you've got it all wrong. Fold it downwards, not upwards."

And so I spend the next half an hour imparting my origami skills to a cyborg. I have to say, though I am quite irritated by his slow learning ability, his determination impresses me much. It feels good to teach Deidara something he doesn't know, and to watch him gain a new piece of knowledge. But the thing which really makes me feel that this whole lesson was worth the time - that tender smile of his. A way of thanking me for the lesson. Man, I feel so proud of myself.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings. As soon as I open the door, I get run over by a group of people. Namely, the gang consisting of Itachi, Hidan, Kakuzu, Konan and Pein. Great, just great. I get run down even in my own apartment.

Four words: **A bunch of troublemakers.**

Hidan laughs as I pick myself up from the floor. "Hur hur hur, what do we have here? A pancake? Hey, Kakuzu, bring out the maple syrup!"

I glare at the speaker. "Don't you guys have any sense of courtesy? Manners? How could you just barge into my apartment like that!"

Itachi takes off his woollen hat. "We _rang_ the doorbell, Sasori. Isn't that courteous enough?"

I find myself growling. Uchiha Itachi, a teenage guy with a high IQ and EQ; he actually tells me all this shit. Seriously, courtesy cannot be found anywhere nowadays, but in the drains.

"Anyway, what did you guys come here for?" I asked, closing the door, "there's a Higher Physics test tomorrow - shouldn't you guys be studying?"

Pein smirks. "Don't be so_ serious_, young man. Life isn't about studying your guts out. Anyway, we went to the convenience store and got lots of food and drink. We're gonna pig out!"

"No way you are going to dirty my apartment, you skunk," I reply.

"Awww, don't be such a party-pooper, Sasori," said Hidan, pulling out bottles of soda and bags of crisps from a white plastic bag, "we didn't come all the way here just to eat, I assure you. And here's a bottle of milk for Deidara-chan." He handed a bottle of milk to Deidara, who nodded his head and smiled.

I look at the mischief-maker blankly. "Then what?"

"We're going to bring you to Cyberplex to get some clothes and shoes for Deidara," explained Itachi as he opened a bag of salsa crisps, "I see you haven't been dressing him properly."

To this remark, my ears turn red. Unfortunately, Itachi is right. My clothings were too small to fit Deidara, so I lent him an oversized sweater to wear, as well as some loose long socks.

"Your dress sense sucks big time, Sasori," Konan tells me as she strokes Deidara's soft head, "loose long socks and an oversized blue sweater - that's a horrible combination."

"It was all I had!" I exclaim, folding my arms, "and besides, I don't have money to buy him any clothes."

Hidan looks positively shocked. "Hey brother, have you gone nuts? It's wintertime! You need to get Deidara-chan some warm clothing."

"Since he's a cyborg, he shouldn't be able to feel heat and cold, right?" I think aloud, earning a gasp from Konan.

"Sasori, you can't be any stupider when it comes to technology, seriously. Cyborgs can feel cold. If you ever noticed, Deidara is shivering." She gives the fellow a warm hug, and I stare.

Pein gulps down some soda. "_You, _Akasuna, need some lessons on how to take care of your cyborg, fast. If you remain like this Deidara will never be able to talk, and his learning ability will cause you anger problems. If you don't want to get a _heart attack _in the near future, do yourself a favour and get this guy some clothes."

"You guys have your own experiences with cyborgs?" I ask, my eyelids twitching.

"Nu, but Hidan has," says Kakuzu, "apparently, it sucked and within three months, his cyborg became a foul-mouthed witch."

"Huh?"

Hidan groans. "That bitch almost took my life! She was spouting the f-word everywhere. She looked like a retard, anyway, that fucking Tayuya."

"Shh, Hidan! Don't use vulgarities in front of kids!" Konan hisses.

Itachi claps his hands together. "Alright, after this, lets go get this little fellow some proper clothes before he freezes to death."

"Yeah, and lets prevent Sasori from being sued by the Ministry of Technology for neglecting his cyborg," laughs Hidan.

"There is a Ministry of Technology?" My eyes widen. I've never heard of such a thing before.

"Yeah, moron. There's a Ministry of Bacteria too."

"Really?"

"No, just bluffing."

"...you act like a girl sometimes, you know."

* * *

Cyberplex is the biggest shopping complex in town. It looks really superb with those polished glass windows and neon lighting. A popular hangout for teens as well as adults, this place sells many things; from clothing to stationary, from electrical appliances to CDs, and more. And the catch? Yes, the prices are super affordable.

And now, I'm stuck in a winterwear shop with Itachi, Konan and Deidara. The Uchiha has selected some sweaters, a woollen hat, some mittens and socks, and other things for Deidara. Konan has picked a pair of nice brown shoes with nylon laces and a pair of pink bunny slippers. As for me, I'm doing nothing. In fact, I feel like a slacker.

Pein nudges me. "Oi, you should work a bit harder. Choose something for Deidara too."

"I don't have any money to pay for all this, you idiot!" I whisper quickly.

"Nu, you don't have to pay. Itachi said that he would pay. You just need to pick something for Deidara - he'll feel happy, honestly."

"Like what? Mufflers?_ Underwear?" _I ask, the words laced with sarcasm.

"They've been taken care off already. Try picking a scarf. I'll help you if you want."

"...it's okay. I'll go pick one myself." With that, I walk towards the scarf section quietly. Deidara spots me, and scurries over from Konan's side. I sigh when I see him following me.

"Ah, alright. You're here. Erm, yeah, I'm gonna get you a scarf, so...which one would you like?..."

Colour rushes to Deidara's cheeks as he gives me a wide smile and hugs me. Startled, I shake him off quickly. I don't really feel comfortable hugging people. He gives me a rather confused look, and that smile fades away. A tiny pang of guilt washes over me as I bite my lip.

"...OK, how about this brown scarf?" I say, reaching for a brown woollen scarf on the rack, "brown is a nice colour."

Gently, I wrap the scarf around Deidara's neck and tuck the ends in properly. He looks at my chest silently, making me feel a bit regretful for shoving him away. Hmm, the scarf looks good on him.

"...OK, don't be like this. I'm just not very comfortable hugging people, yeah?"

Deidara nods silently, then tugs at the ends of the scarf as Konan comes hurrying over. She is holding a frilly, _fluffy_ pink dress. My jaw drops when I see that familiar fangirly grin plastered on her face.

"This! _This! _I found this when I was looking for some summer clothes! I bet it will look good on Deidara - come on, try this on!"

I push the dress away from Deidara. "_Ex-ki-usa mua? _Deidara is a boy, not a girl. No way in hell is he going to wear this frilly, feathery thing!"

"Sasori, you dork!" exclaims Konan, putting her hands on her hips, "do you know what is _cross-dressing? _But besides that; boy or girl, Deidara is going to look_ really cute _in this!"

"I said, no way in hell!"

"We're not in hell, so Deidara can wear this!"

"NO!"

_"I SAID YES AND THAT IS FINAL!"_ With that, Konan grabs Deidara's hand and pulls the confused cyborg away to the changing rooms. I sigh and put my hand on my forehead. Fangirls, one thing you never ever want to mess with.

But when Deidara emerges from the changing room, I nearly get a nosebleed. He looks so much like a girl, it actually stuns me. It appears that he doesn't know that as a boy, he isn't supposed to wear dresses. Oh, screw that for now.

Konan looks triumphant. "Doesn't he look _brilliant?" _she croons as Deidara absent-mindedly fiddles with the laces on the pink dress, "I bet you wanted this too, Akasuna, so don't deny it."

"N-no, I did not want this," I manage to say, "and get that thing off him right now."

"Nuuu, I will not," replies Konan in a firm tone, "firstly, Deidara seems to have no problem with it. Next, it looks good on him. Lastly, I will get it for him."

"HUH!" I nearly choke on my own saliva. Damn you Konan; don't teach Deidara the wrong things!

Konan seems to be able to read my mind. "Whatever, Sasori. Anyway, you wanted to get this scarf for Deidara? He seems pretty happy with it; I'll pass it to Itachi for you. Wait at the entrance with Pein, cos' we'll be out shortly." Once again, she pulls Deidara away from me. Sheesh, how do you ever understand _women?_

Moments later, all of us are settled comfortably in Itachi's large private car with bags of whatnots (and that frilly,_ fluffy _pink dress). Deidara has fallen asleep on my shoulder, and I feel stiff. To my surprise, he doesn't feel like hard metal or steel; his body feels just like a real human's - soft and warm. His eyelashes are nice and long, like an antique doll's. And I can feel his soft breathing on my skin.

"Hiya, Sasori, don't squirm like a worm," remarks Hidan as he watches me shift uncomfortably in my seat, "or you'll wake Deidara-chan up."

"...what do you know," I mutter quietly as I stare out of the window, "he's leaning on me!"

Itachi looks back at me from the front seat. "That's good, it show that he likes you a lot. Don't push him away; instead, just let him come to you. Would you like it if someone pushes you away from him or her?"

To this remark, I can't help but fall silent. A flashback of what just happened in the clothes store comes back to me. That confused, upset look on Deidara's face when I pushed him away from me. Oh man, I screwed up.

"I don't think I can grow to love him," I said.

"Are you serious?" asks Pein, "you bought him. You've got to be responsible for him."

"I bought him because if I didn't, he'd be scrapped!"

"See, you bought him because you wanted to save him. I believe that you can show him some love."

"...I don't know. I really don't know - "

"Excuses, Sasori," says Itachi suddenly, "if you tell yourself you can, you can."

Ha. Uchiha's giving me another of his prep talks. Rolling my eyes, I lie back on my seat and close my eyes.

"He's bound to make a lot of mistakes, so please be patient with him," adds Itachi, "he is a very adorable little cyborg. If you don't want him, you could give him to me."

"Huh?! Are you kidding me?" I exclaim quickly. Give Deidara to anyone? Please!

Itachi smiles. "Good. When you get home, change him into warm clothes, then make him some warm cocoa. He'll be very happy."

"..." I sigh and look at Deidara again. On the second thought, maybe if I looked at Deidara in another light, I would learn to appreciate him even more. Maybe, if I started doing little things like teaching him how to tie shoelaces and stuff, I would grow to like him even more. I don't know. I don't think I am the kind of person to show my feelings easily to people.

But at least, I have got to try.

Soon, the car stops in front of my apartment. As I am about to wake Deidara up, Pein stops me and whispers for me to carry Deidara upstairs. The rest of the gang would take care of the shopping bags. Reluctantly, I open the car door and gently lift the sleeping fellow out. He's quite light.

I open my apartment door and walk towards my bed. Deidara has been sleeping on the floor all this time; maybe I should get out my extra mattress for him. Or maybe...

I carefully put Deidara on my own bed, and cover him with my blanket. As Kakuzu steps into the house with the first batch of shopping bags, I proceed to the kitchen to prepare a snack for the guests and Deidara. When that fellow wakes up, I'll change him into his warm clothes. If I have the time, I will teach him how to braid his hair, or how to use the microwave oven.

Perhaps I, Sasori Akasuna, am capable of showing love, especially to a fellow who needs it a lot.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 ****:**

**30th November, Wednesday, Year of the Pearl**

Classes have ended for the day. I quickly stuff my textbooks into my bag, and head towards the Central Station. Today, I am going to give Deidara a surprise by cooking him a delicious meal of Seaweed Udon with extra fishcake. I doubt he has eaten that before.

Yes, this will be my first step in getting to know Deidara.

After getting all the ingredients for the meal at the station supermarket, I walk briskly towards the North Line and take the train to Higutachi Station, the station nearest to my apartment. It's already two in the afternoon, and I'm starving. I practically skipped breakfast this morning because I woke up late. Ch, my alarm clock broke down, and it crashed (literally) when I pounded my hand on the snooze button.

As I unlock my apartment door and open it, my eyes start to widen. There are two intruders in the house, and one of them is patting Deidara's head. Seconds later I find myself yelling.

_"Orochimaru!_ What are you doing?!" Immediately I spring forward and hit the older man's hands away from my cyborg, who simply stares with his large blue eyes.

The intruder turns out to be my next-door neighbour, Orochimaru, and another person whom I don't recognise. Orochimaru, an avid collector of cyber techies and machines, works at a shop in town which sells specialty chocolates. He has long black hair which I find unsuitable-looking, and a crafty look on his face. In my opinion, he looks like a snake. He looks mature, but is actually very, VERY annoying -

"Oh, Sasori-kunnnn!" croons the man as he rushes forward to hug me. Geez, he does this everytime he comes over to my place. Quickly, I try to fend him off, but his arms are stronger than mine, and I decide to try and reach the fly-swatter on the dining table. But Deidara chooses that moments to go bonkers. Without warning, his eyes glow furiously and his left arm starts spinning. Balling his hand into a fist, he launches the lower part of his mechanical hand onto Orochimaru. The fist punches Orochimaru's face and the older man's grip on me loosens. I hurriedly back off and watch the rest of the drama with wide eyes.

Next, rubber duckies start launching out from the hollow space in Deidara's upper arm. Those hit the enemy pretty well. Then, the next arm launches out and hit the target yet again, and this time, bubbles start floating out of the hollow space. I gape in astonishment as Orochimaru picks himself up from the pile of rubber duckies, and Deidara falls onto the floor, looking as dead as a doornail.

"Gasp, Orochimaru-sama!" exclaims the second intruder, rushing to Orochimaru's side, "are you alright?"

"Do I look alright to you, Kabuto?" scoffs Orochimaru, dusting his shirt, "_man_, what was that thing?!'

By now, I am beside Deidara, at a loss of what to do. "It's a cyborg," I tell the man, "can't you tell? With all those hand-launching..."

"No, I couldn't," replied Orochimaru, rubbing his head, "but say, it was a really cute cyborg. What's her name?"

"It's a_ he," _I say sarcastically, "called Deidara. Geez, now I need to get him a doctor."

"Aww, what a cute little name," says Orochimaru as quickly call Itachi on my cellphone, "Deidara-chan, Deidara-chan!"

"Shut up you dumbass perv," I snap as the phone clicks and Itachi answers the phone, "Hello, Itachi? Deidara went crazy and now he's in parts..."

"Oh, really?! Hang on for ten minutes; I'll get Sasuke to make a trip to your apartment."

"Home delivery? Sasuke is a house-to-house doctor?"

"Yes, home delivery. Pepperoni and cheese, please, with extra bacon bits on the top."

"Shut up, Uchiha."

* * *

Half an hour later, Deidara is all fixed and ready to go. Sasuke takes off his goggles and puts down his drill; he has stuffed all the 'safe things' back into Deidara's arms, and had attached the hands back where they belong. He lets out a sigh and proceeds to turn on Deidara's switch, which is inside his ear. Within seconds, we hear a brief_ 'zap' _and Deidara's engines start running.

"Huh, so_ rubber duckies _are safe things?" I mutter as Deidara's eyes flicker open.

Sasuke switches off his electric drill. "I thought they were safe," he replies calmly.

"What makes you think that way?"

"Well, babies play with them. Anything toy meant for babies should be safe, right?" It seems that I cannot outtalk the younger Uchiha. I worriedly pat Deidara's forehead as he attempts to sit up. He looks quite weak, and I quickly support his head with my shoulder before he falls.

"..."

"He's safe. Don't worry, I've fixed him up well; until the next time he goes crazy, I'll see you." Sasuke picks up his bag of tools and makes his way towards the door. But he hesitates for a moment, then turns to face me.

"By the way, have you taught Deidara how to talk yet?"

"...No." I twiddle my thumbs slowly. I've only taught him a few basic things like how to use chopsticks, but not speech.

"Well, try teaching him then. If you manage to teach him how to say something, at least one thing, I'll give him an upgrade for free."

"Upgrade?" I cringe at the thought of Sasuke implanting some unknown thing into Deidara's hands. Sasuke smiles.

"It's _safe,_ don't worry," he tries to assure me as he puts on his shoes and waves goodbye. I nearly choke on my own saliva. Safe? Coming from you? No thanks, buddy.

To my disappointment, Orochimaru and his cyborg, Kabuto, are still in my apartment. I fold my arms as I let Deidara sit down on a large beanbag.

"Why don't you just go off now, Deidara needs to rest."

"Hehhh, I was thinking of letting Kabuto socialise a little with Deidara," exclaims Orochimaru. Kabuto nods.

"Just get out already you idiot!" I make a grab for my broom as Orochimaru quickly dodges it and runs out the door, along with Kabuto.

"Aw, I'll come back next time to visit you!" he calls out as I slam the door shut and try to calm myself down. That damned Orochimaru! Always coming to my apartment for no reason, or to give me some chocolates he made at work. Double tsk.

I go back to the kitchen. As I pull out a packet of udon noodles from the cupboard, I feel a soft tug on my clothes. It's Deidara, and he isn't looking at me. He feels nice and warm, just like a little puppy.

"Yeah?" I ask, still a bit breathless from the previous events, "don't worry, lunch will be ready soon. Just wait for a few minutes, and we can eat. And after that, I'll teach you a few words - "

I freeze as Deidara hugs me tight and buries his head into my back. Turning back, my hands rise up and stroke the brat's soft head.

"What's wrong?"

He doesn't reply, but simply hugs me even tighter. I'm not used to hugs and the likes, but this hug is different. It isn't lustful or insincere; instead, its full of uncertainty and hope. And my mind thinks that he wants me to return the hug.

And that's what I do. It surprises me almost completely, but I put my hand over him and pull him close. His hair covers me like a thin blanket, and it tickles a little, but its fine.

When we finally pull away, I ask Deidara to get out two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks. He nods vigorously, and sets off to work. I focus on cooking two good bowls of delicious Sasori-style soup udon, and when everything is done, I call Deidara to the table and we sit down, all ready to slurp some noodles.

"When you eat noodles, you must make sure you slurp it up well and make a loud noise, like this." I take my chopsticks and slurp up the long udon noodles well. Deidara watches me with eager eyes, then takes his chopsticks and puts the noodles into his mouth. _SLURPPP! _he goes as I give him a smile to encourage him. Grinning, he goes for another round of slurping. For the next five minutes, the room is filled with nothing but slurping sounds.

* * *

And now, both of us are sitting on the bed facing each other, our toes snugly curled up under the warm sheets.

"I will teach you how to say some words," I say confidently. As the teacher, I must look professional. Hm-hm.

Deidara nods and claps his hands together. Grinning, I begin my lesson.

"OK, now, repeat after me - 'a, ii, u, e, o'." I watch as the little fellow struggles to get his voice. He fails, and I try again.

"It's ok, it's ok. Now, try saying something at least. Anything will do. Is there anything you feel comfortable saying?" I ask him gently.

"a...a..." Deidara opens his mouth, but no words come out. He frowns and starts concentrating really hard, balling his fists up. "...n...n.."

"It's okay," I tell him slowly, "just try your best. It's ok if you can't say anything today. We can always try again next time."

But this persistent fellow doesn't give up easily. After trying and trying, he finally succeeds and I hear his voice for the very first time. As I look at him with astonishment, he smiles and looks at me excitedly with those blue eyes.

"What...did you say?"

"..."

"..."

"...un!"

And as soon as I heard that, my heart exploded with happiness and I leapt forward to hug Deidara. Oh joy, this day would be well-remembered by me for the rest of my life. Mother and Father in heaven, I think my heart is beginning to open up to this fellow.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

**3rd December, Saturday, Year of the Pearl**

That fresh piece of paper on the table. It bore the worst news in the whole wide world, ever. Indeed, words kill you silently. Silent assassins, idiots. You know, just like how people get heart attacks because fraud letters tell them they've struck lottery.

Deidara stares at me, nibbling on a cookie from the half-empty kitchen jar. He pauses for a moment as he watches the colour drain from my face. My fingers tremble violently as I stare at the document with unbelieving eyes. Worriedly he moves up to me and gives me a almost-silent "un?"

And my mind finally burst. The floodgates let loose. The door left open. _Whatever! _

"Electricity bills have gone up _again!" _I shout exasperatedly, flinging myself on the bed, "if this continues I'm gonna have to use candles for lighting...not even the two jobs I'm taking now will be able to cover the cost of electricity and rent!"

"U-u-un?" Deidara places a soft hand on my forehead, checking for any signs of fever. I sigh as I take his hand off my head.

"It's not a fever, I don't get sick that easily...now, seriously, I'm poor enough to be called a pauper and yet life keeps strangling my neck. Maybe I should apply for college student help funding..."

My gaze turned towards the stupid black limousine which was waiting for me downstairs. From my apartment window I could see Sasuke Uchiha waiting for me impatiently. He had promised to take me and Deidara to a Cyborg Convention downtown, saying that I needed to learn how to take care of Deidara properly.

"Damn, he's so early," I curse as I slip on my jacket, "come on Deidara, lets go. It's time."

Sasuke's limousine is completely different from Itachi's - it has plenty of hidden gadgets and speakers. And it is simply filled with..._Sasukeness_. Sleek, modern, up-to-date, mysterious. Wo, talk about cars having a personality. This _BMG2000_ Limoucar totally fits Sasuke to a T.

"...so how are you faring with Deidara?" asks Ice King Junior as the car proceeds to the Convention Centre Carpark.

"Fine, I guess. He's learnt to say at least something already." Well, 'un' wasn't exactly a proper word, but at least Deidara could say something.

Sasuke folds his arms. "Alright, I presume it's what he's saying now?" He points to Deidara, as the latter mumbles a string of 'uns' in his sleep. My face turns slightly red.

"Uh - uh yeah."

"Good. There is improvement, at least. But there's room for more. If you could afford it, I'd recommend you to a certain Speech-improvement course for cyborgs, but I think you can't. So the only way you can help yourself and Deidara is to read more and take him to the library or the central bookstores," retorts Sasuke as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. The limousine then comes to a halt and the younger Uchiha opens the car door. As soon as he gets out of the car, he whips out a pair of stylish black sunglasses and puts them on. All seems well until -

"Now, Sasori, would you stand back for awhile?" he asks me as I slam the car door shut.

"Huh? Whatever for?"

Sasuke scowls some more. "An irritating bastard has appeared. Say 'lo and behold.' "

"Lo and beh - that's crazy." I roll my eyes.

"I'm serious, count to three and that guy - "

Suddenly, an annoying whiny voice echoes in my ear as a teenager approaches Sasuke happily, his arms open for embrace.

"SASUKEEEEEEEEEE!"

Sasuke's face grows darker. "What are you doing here? Screaming in public too - " He slaps the teenager's hands away, destroying the potential embrace, "you stupid good-for-nothing _Uzumaki." _

"Naruto it is," replies Naruto as he gives a cheeky grin, "and isn't it pretty obvious? I'm here to check out the latest cyborg gadgets for Kyubi." A solemn looking little boy dressed in orange then appears out of nowhere.

"Hmm," mutters Sasuke uninterestedly.

"And I see you've brought Sasori along too," smirks Naruto as his gaze fixes on me.

Sasuke looks up at the irritating guy. "You know Sasori?"

"Yeah, of course. He's in my college class, and he's a super dirt-poor guy. He can't even afford to get a 3d-calculator!" laughs Naruto. I scrunch up my fists and try to control my anger. Shit, it isn't even worth fighting against someone so stupid!

"3d-calculators are stupid shit made for stupid people like you," remarks Sasuke coolly, a tinge of irritatedness in his voice.

"Oh man, Sasuke! How could you say that of me? After all, we're childhood buddies, aren't we?" Naruto says, patting the younger Uchiha on the back, "and anyway, who is that girl?" He points to Deidara, who is looking at Naruto quietly.

"It's a _he," _I growl.

"Shut up, I didn't ask you," snaps Naruto.

"It's a _he_, alright," says Sasuke, "and he's Sasori's cyborg. _And _get your frickin' hand off me."

Naruto stares in disbelief at me as I look back at him. "You've gotta be kidding," he mutters, "Sasori has a cyborg? Pfft!"

"It's true," I tell him blankly.

"Not asking you, stupid matchstick!"

"...Whatever."

"Un!"

As soon as Naruto hears that, he laughs even more loudly. "So I presume your cyborg can't talk properly," he snorts.

"You're seriously a public disgrace," I remark. Indeed, the orange-headed bastard is attracting a lot of unwanted attention from the public.

"Heh! So your low-grade cyborg wants to improve himself by coming to this convention?" Naruto makes a face, "alright now, let me show you what a real cyborg is."

I scrunch up my fists. "What exactly are you planning?"

Naruto ignores me completely. "Kyubi, introduce yourself to that cyborg over there." He points to Deidara, who looks at Naruto silently.

Kyubi walks up to Deidara slowly as the latter gives me a frightened look. Seconds later, the orange cyborg looks up at Deidara and stretches out a hand.

"Good morning, my name is Kyubi."

"...Un..."

"What is your name?"

"...Un un."

"Do you know that melolight houses are made of protein blocks and modified jewel fibres? They're actually called jewellight houses but I think its not practical because light and jewels are totally different things. Jewels are hard and light is just light. Don't you think so? And the covalent bonds in the silicon are also modified so that they become unbreakable."

"?? Un?!"

"Fuck," I mutter as the cyborg finishes off his pretty little speech.

Naruto looks smugly at me. "Seems that your cyborg's a retard, eh? Did you get it from the junkyard?"

Deidara looks at me, extremely confused and upset. It seems that he understands what Naruto is saying.

"Naruto, I modified this cyborg. If you're gonna throw anymore insults, you'll be insulting me," said Sasuke, "now excuse me, if you don't want to go into the convention hall, _we_ do." Sasuke gave his childhood friend a pissed look, and dragged me into the centre, leaving Naruto behind, sulking a little.

As we enter the convention building, a blast of warm air greets us and my heart settles down considerably. Fuck the Uzumaki and his blasted attitude! Embarassing himself outside in the cold wasn't going to be enough to put me down, but the only worry was the guy tugging on my sleeve behind me...

Sasuke sighs as he slows down and comes to a halt beside a vending machine, and examines Deidara's unhappy face. Then he puts his hand to his forehead and lets out another long sigh.

"I'm sorry it came to this. I didn't expect that idiot to do all that," he says.

I force a smile. "It's okay, Naruto was originally a bastard anyway, he has no limits and no manners."

"Spot-on," remarks Sasuke as he puts a hand on Deidara's head gently, "now don't worry, just ignore whatever that guy said to you. He's a mental hospital escapee."

I roll my eyes as Sasuke pulls out a few coins from his pocket. He then asks Deidara to look at the vending machine.

"Now - _observe." _The younger Uchiha slots in the coins and punches one of the colorful buttons on the side of the vending machine. In a few seconds, a cup pops out from the bottom of the machine and orange juice starts sloshing into it. Deidara's eyes widen considerably and he presses his hands onto the vending machine, marvelling at the power of innovation.

As Sasuke hands a cupful of juice to Deidara, my mind starts to grind and ponder. Actually, why did I even allow myself to keep Deidara? He is also consuming water bills and electricity bills like me, but yet I am the one who has to pay for the bills? And yet, even though he is a cyborg, he is a bit like a retard?

_No, Sasori! What are you even thinking about!_

Yes, it does seem selfish and unreasonable for me to think this way. This guy had been a potential to-be-scrapped cyborg. And I had been the one who chose to keep him. But after listening to Naruto Uzumaki, somehow, my mind..

But the reality is, even though cyborgs don't need to be fed and stuff, and even though those little things aren't a must, they are vital to his mental growth. And I want to see Deidara reach that blooming stage, where he can become mentally independent.

Deidara toddles towards me and hands me the cup of juice, completely untouches. I bite my lip and shake my head.

"No, I don't want it. I'm not thirsty."

As a cyborg owner, I think my attitude is currently unacceptable. But the conditions and the current situation...and, stupid as it may be, my _pride... _Geez, how could I let all this take over, even if it was just for a moment?

But what can I do? I'm just a mere college student. But I'm afraid that what I have just thought of is nothing but an **excuse. **

* * *

**4rd December, Sunday, Year of the Pearl**

It's four in the afternoon.

And now I am at home, staring blankly at my Biology textbook, five hundred pages thick. But my mind cannot function.

It's confusing sometimes, being a human. When your brain is thrown into a great frenzy. And when you start hating yourself on how much another person's words can affect you so easily. For me, I am pondering over what to do next. Financially speaking.

As I look across the room, I spot Deidara cuddling a soft object which looks like a scrap doll. Heh?Where did he get it anyway? And besides, did he know how to sew?

"...Deidara, what's that cloth thingy you're holding. Sasuke gave it to you?" I ask as my eyes meet Deidara's soft blue ones. He merely shakes his head and jumps up from the floor and walks over to me.

"Un. Un, un un un. _UN!" _

Basically, the doll is made of scraps of unmistakeably familiar shades of coloured cloth. Glued together. I guess he was too frightened to handle even a needle. But where on earth did he get those cloth bits? That familiarity...

"Un!" Deidara seems to have read my mind. He drags me over to a cupboard over at the end of the room and points to it happily. And suddenly realization hits me as panic and anger starts to sink in. Quickly I rummage through the cupboard, and the end result confirms my suspicion.

"You - you - used my old clothes to - do this_ thing?!" _My voice cracks. Deidara nods innocently and mumbles something I can't understand.

My face must have looked pretty angry, I guess._ "Did I even allow you to come near this closet?!" _I growled fiercely as Deidara finally notices my anger.

"Do you have any respect for me at all? In the first place, do you know what it is? No you don't. These are not yours, they're mine! Don't freaking treat my apartment like your playground!"

Deidara's eyes start to sparkle with tears.

"I've already got enough problems with finances, are you going to destroy my whole house before you're satisfied?"

More tears stream down Deidara's face as my anger reaches a peak level.

"I am paying for everything. Even if its old clothes, they're still worth something. Have you ever lived a scrimp-and-save life before? Can't you understand? Or are you really like what Naruto Uzumaki said? A_ retard?!" _

Deidara quickly presses a button on his left finger and holds it up in front of me as a familiar voice drones from the speakers located on his left palm. I flinch slightly.

_"Why don't you make a doll of your own. Then you could hug it all night and day. If you don't know how to sew, I'll teach you how to sew. I have some old clothes at the back of the cupboard for you to use."_

Fuck. That's my voice.

_**I have some old clothes at the back of the cupboard for you to use.**_

_**For you to use.**_

"...ke..." I freeze at the words. What was this? Deidara recorded everything I had said before?

"D-do you know what is the meaning of privacy?" I stutter as my fists clench up involuntarily.

"Un!" Deidara sniffs as he gives me a pleading look and clutches my hands. But I swat them away, pushing him towards the dining table.

"Get out of my sight!" I yell, giving him my fiercest glare. How I want him to disappear right now. To live in my house, you've got to know the rules.

And after throwing me a last tearful look, Deidara runs out of the house.


End file.
